Kim Young-kwang, Oh Jung-se courted for new tvN drama
by girlfriday
Cable network tvN is lining up a new late-summer drama for its Friday-Saturday slot, and the offer is out to Kim Young-kwang (Good Doctor) to headline. The drama is called Plus Nine Boys, a loose translation for “boys whose ages end in nine.” To wit: ages 9, 19, 29, and 39, or every decade plus nine. It’ll be about four boys at each of those ages, and Kim Young-kwang is up to play the 29-year-old one, while the always funny Oh Jung-se (A New Leaf) is reportedly being courted to play the 39-year-old.
There isn’t a lot of news on this new boys club drama, so these are very early casting offers. An idol is rumored to be up for the role of the 19-year-old, which isn’t exactly a surprise, though no one has been named so it’s also vague. The drama will be about the loves and lives of four leading men (er, boys) who are each at the cusp of a new decade, and that’s all we know so far. Isn’t the nine-year-old’s love story just going to blow all these other guys out of the water? I mean, come on.
I don’t know if that means it’ll be very loosely plotted or feel like four mini dramas that weave in and out, but I’m curious since it sounds like something different from the norm. Oh Jung-se makes me laugh no matter what he does, so I hope he’s a sure thing. Model-turned-actor Kim Young-kwang has been steadily building his resume with supporting roles (Hot-Blooded Youth, Love Rain, White Christmas) and he’s generally very pleasant (not to mention extremely easy on the eyes), though he hasn’t had any breakthrough roles.
The new drama is set to air after the contract romance drama Marriage Not Dating, which is currently courting Yeon Woo-jin and Honey Lee to star. (That drama follows Gap-dong in June.) Plus Nine Boys will be helmed by variety PD Yoo Hak-chan (Three Fools, 1 Night 2 Days) and a new writer, and will air sometime in August.
Via TV Daily
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Tags: cable programs, Kim Young-kwang, Oh Jung-se, Plus Nine Boys
Interview with Kim Yoo-jung
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1 Ceecile
May 15, 2014 at 8:07 AM
So Kim Young-kwang was discharged already eh? Should have stayed there longer. Such an ass. Won't be watching this.
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derp
May 15, 2014 at 8:13 AM
Notably, Kim Young Kwang will only serve his military service for six months. The reason being that the actor’s father, who had passed away when Kim Young Kwang was younger, had been a Vietnam War veteran, as well as an acknowledged person of national merit. Thus, abiding by regulations, children of a person considered to be of national merit are required to serve only six months of military service.
-soompi
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noer
May 15, 2014 at 8:14 AM
If i'm not mistaken, he is the only child and his late father a veteran soldier (died) in war or something..
Boy is 87'er
Maybe someone can confirm this..
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mystisith
May 15, 2014 at 8:17 AM
Here we go. Someone pretty who says he likes pretty people is not an ass: He is immature but honest. Would people believe it if he said "I like fat women with braces"? I don't think so.
I also believe that some actors/actresses have committed worst crimes than being picky with their partners. Since any of us will meet the guy anyway, I prefer to focus on the acting skills of the person. He has potential in that department.
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pogo
May 15, 2014 at 9:07 AM
@mystisith - but it wasn't him saying he likes slim girls that was the problem - it was him saying, to a teen girls' magazine no less (ElleGirl Korea) that he hates fat girls.
He really needs to find appropriate ways to phrase whatever he wants to say, otherwise public opinion will turn against him and that would be a waste of his talent.
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Orion
May 15, 2014 at 9:18 AM
Which does make him and anyone an ass, but that still is not reason to essentially wish for his imprisonment or drop a work he is in.
I mean, I'd drop a work for serious crimes that would make me cringe just looking at the actor, but him being an ass and liking pretty people is not stopping immersion for anyone who can achieve it in the first place.
I have not personally seen enough to call him talented, but since I have not, I can't call this particular casting a problematic one, but I do wish Oh were leading this, since I have seen proof of that one's solid skills.
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pogo
May 15, 2014 at 9:32 AM
I agree with every word of what you're saying here and yes, it's absolutely far-fetched and ridiculous to use that as rationale to want him imprisoned (for what, personal taste in girls?!) . He's a good enough actor that I have absolutely no problem putting his real-life personality aside to enjoy his work.
I was only pointing out that it was poor judgement on his part to give people that ammo in the first place since in SK celebrities have been torn apart for far less. I mean, they bitch out celeb guests for 'looking bored' on variety shows, if you can imagine.
mystisith
May 15, 2014 at 9:23 AM
Well, if netizens like politically correct and boring interviews, that's their problem. Give me brutal honesty anytime of the day. Guy is an actor, not a saint or a politician. Lol.
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pogo
May 15, 2014 at 9:40 AM
Brutal honesty is one thing, but words like these in a (it needs to be repeated) teen girls' magazine? This is a country where young celebs get ripped apart for dating or even rumours of dating - and statements like these are more objectionable than any personal life dealings. He's in his late twenties, not some impetuous teenager who can't know better. I don't have a problem with his work and will happily watch him, but let's be real, it didn't help his image and image matters even more than talent in Korean entertainment.
It's not just Korea that would react this way - imagine the reaction if Justin Bieber or someone you don't like quite as much said the same thing in, say, Seventeen or Teen Vogue.
yama
May 18, 2014 at 11:09 PM
I'm all for freedom of speech because I truly believe it's the hallmark of a democratic society. Freedom of speech is meant to protect _unpopular_ speech and I believe this instance fits the bill. In a way I think those who are bothered by his comments should re-evaluate why they are bothered. Why is he "worthy" enough to be interviewed in a magazine in the first place? Isn't it because enough of us have deemed him "pretty" enough or something enough? Maybe the expectations for him to be pretty AND perfect are just too high? Why is it okay for the common folks to judge public figures and not okay the other way around? Are we having double standards?
If the young girls reading the teen magazine take his words to heart, something is lacking at home with the parents, not because some random celebrity makes some off-hand remarks about his preferences.
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Eve
May 15, 2014 at 9:14 AM
He said basically that overweight women are gross and shouldn't be wearing skirts because their fat thighs are disgusting him. That's an asshole for me through and through. If he acts well, I won't care. Until he fares on his image people will comment. Show us the goods and the viewers shut up.
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omo
May 15, 2014 at 5:35 PM
I have not followed this news or anything about this actor. If any of this is true, I hope he gets cast with a plus-sized actress playing his romantic lead. I am willing this to happen so that I can watch this drama.
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Ivoire
May 15, 2014 at 8:16 PM
Somehow, I doubt it will happen, however I would watch that drama as well.
derp
May 15, 2014 at 8:17 AM
just because he got to served the army for 6 mos. you're going to call him an ass.. then you're the one who's an ass for your idiotic thinking
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pogo
May 15, 2014 at 9:09 AM
I think he's an idiot for what he said about fat girls, but how does his dead father being a war veteran and earning his son a shortened military service as a consequence, make the son an ass? Come on.
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cheekbones
May 15, 2014 at 11:02 PM
He may be an ass in real life, but he gives me pleasure by being onscreen. So I'm sorry if I'll take my pleasure whenever I can. :)
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2 soprection
May 15, 2014 at 8:24 AM
This sounds a little odd (how interesting could a nine year old's life be?) but so far TvN's managed to do a good job with their stranger-sounding premises (plus I just love most of TvN's dramas) so I'm tentatively interested in this. I just hope it's fairly light and fun. I'm also not too concerned about the potential idol actor they might cast for the 19 year old because so far, they've managed to pick some good ones to helm previous series (plus it sounds like the 29 and 39 year olds are the major characters - possibly?) so yeah, I trust TvN. Hopefully this will be another sweet, quirky show.
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kopytko
May 15, 2014 at 9:28 AM
You mean a nine-year-old child's life is not worthy a drama? I tell you it definitely is. Even if the child has both parents, isn't suffering from cancer or isn't bullied at school. It's just a matter of the perspective and mood. I think I might write a book about it when my current students grow up a little and forget the stories they tell me every day ;)
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pogo
May 15, 2014 at 9:41 AM
isn’t suffering from cancer
lol well yes, little Soo-jin from Two Weeks definitely had an interesting life!
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kopytko
May 15, 2014 at 10:06 AM
I meant being a cancer patient is not necessary for a child to be interesting for viewers. What of course doesn't imply that a patient cannot be interesting as well, just for the kind of person he or she is.
That said I haven't watched Two Weeks or God's Gift because I cannot stand looking at suffering children or children in deadly danger. Such a softy am I...
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pogo
May 15, 2014 at 10:52 AM
Oh, Two Weeks is definitely worth watching - the kid isn't in pain, just waiting for a surgery, and she is ADORABLE. And good at dodging danger, too! (plus she and Lee Jun-ki together just about exploded my ovaries)
kopytko
May 15, 2014 at 1:02 PM
Nah, I am also not the one to go gaga about every child shown on TV, and especially because of my work I've grown immune and totally insensitive to cute children. Though I admit I used to have a phase of stealing fascinated glances at young handsome dads with their children in the arms.
What I am waiting for is an ugly child (ha! they do exist!) or a child with a difficult personality (not a spoilt one - there is a huge difference) dealt with as people and not as problems.
pogo
May 15, 2014 at 2:00 PM
I'm not usually one to go gaga over children, either, but the child actress in Two Weeks is a good one - manages to be cute without being too cloying, actually has a personality as opposed to being a giant heap of cliches, and holds her own in her scenes with 'parents', especially Lee Jun-ki. SK really does have some talented kids, not just her.
Ivoire
May 15, 2014 at 3:18 PM
@ pogo,
I am often impressed at how good many SK children actors (and actresses) are. And you are right about many of them holding their own when acting opposite adults, they bring it.
I have read comments a few times (on different blogs), about the children's portion of a drama being better than the adult one. That says a lot.
soprection
May 15, 2014 at 11:21 AM
I apologize. When you rephrase it like that, that sounds terrible. That was insensitive of me and it's probably just a product of my increasing cynicism and misanthropy coming to light. Of course, showing life through a child's perspective can give a fresh, interesting spin to events even if they're relatively everyday, mundane activities and it actually could be quite fun if it's not taken too seriously or written too cheesily.
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kopytko
May 15, 2014 at 1:14 PM
No need to apologize. Several years ago I would have said something similar - they get fed and clad, they go to school, play and sleep - nothing remotely worthwhile. But when I got closer to them, I saw more and understood more. I can see how boring a child's life can be from afar, but it takes good some good writing and a talented young actor to show much more that just another adorable child.
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Ivoire
May 15, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Hi soprection,
This made me laugh, "This sounds a little odd (how interesting could a nine year old’s life be?)" I would agree with you, except for the fact that this is Kdramaland, where some children have gone through so much more than some 40+ year olds in real life.
Since they will be dealing with love and love issues, I immediately thought of the 9 year old 1st love kind of story. It is a much loved trope in Kdramas, and from what some commenters have shared here (and even JB I think), Koreans are very fond of the notion of 1st love. it seems to be a very important experience and memory (if they don't end up with that person) for them.
In any case, I could see how the writer could come up with an interesting story for the 9 year old. I am also curious about it though...
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Ivoire
May 15, 2014 at 10:23 AM
And I realize that my 1st # didn't include (I didn't want to mention them), children who have been seriously sick or are seriously sick, children who have experienced wars, refugee camps, poverty, divorce, etc... And as we know, there are too many children like that in the world for our liking (at least for my liking). Along the lines of what kopytko said, it depends on the child you are talking to. Yeah, the writer won't have a shortage of themes to choose from, methinks. It just depends on the genre(s) they want for the this show.
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soprection
May 15, 2014 at 11:11 AM
I'm sorry. I actually, initially wrote that it was a bit odd to base a drama around a nine year old's love life but then amended my comment. Judging from this admittedly quite vague synopsis, I'd like to assume it won't be about a child that's dealing with any major life issue like the ones you outlined above but I suppose as per your comment and kopytko's, it is wrong of me to assume that a nine year old's life can't be interesting even if they're not dealing with some horrible crisis/situation/upheaval. But your first love assumption is probably going to be the one they go with which could be ridiculous or sweet depending on how they portray it.
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Ivoire
May 15, 2014 at 3:53 PM
Hello soprection,
I appreciate your apology. I have been around children all my life, and I have worked with children for over 30 years (really). I think I might feel differently, if I had not spent so much time with them. It is just very interesting to me, how much you can actually learn from them, and how much you can actually learn about yourself in the process if you want to, (aka if you open yourself up to it).
That being said, this thought might be what I (partially) reacted to, "it was a bit odd to base a drama around a nine year old’s love life." When I read the information given by GF, this was one of the statements that stayed with me, "The drama will be about the loves and lives of four leading men (er, boys) who are each at the cusp of a new decade." I understood it to mean that the drama will not only be about one boy (the 9 year old) but about all 4 (however they choose to present it, mini-dramas of each male, or one drama that tells the story of all 4 males).
As GF stated, we don't know much about how the plot will be written. What came to me was how differently we feel at those different ages: 9, 19, 29 and 39, when it comes to love and life issues. As we know, love (or more so a crush) is different at 9 than it is at 19, 29 and 39. Some of the feelings might be the same (happy to see the person, thinking about the person a lot), however, our actions are (or can be) different. At 9, I liked seeing my crush, and that was about it. At 19 (and older), I analyzed our conversations, and I dissected them with my girlfriends. I was also living on my own, and I had more responsibilities. Love (and life) were more complexed. That is a juxtaposition I could see being explored (and I am just giving an example. I too don't know where they will take their story/plot).
Like you, I do hope that the 9 year old will not be dealing with some horrible major issues, and that is what makes me curious as well, to be honest. That, and my assumption about the males' 1st loves :-)
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3 bobo
May 15, 2014 at 8:36 AM
Like him since Good Doctor. I'm glad that he has built up his career possitively. Still miss his BTS with JW, as i havent seen him as happy as in other projects. I really look forward to this drama, as Young Kwang has some potentials in his acting.
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4 pogo
May 15, 2014 at 9:05 AM
His best turn so far was in Can We Get Married, which gave him a fantastic love line and great chemistry with Han Groo (plus if you have seen it, you've seen the hallway/living room scene in episode 1, and the way it began....WHOA).
I'm glad to see him getting more work, since he has the potential to do well even if he does need to exercise a little more judgement with what he says to press.
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Sam
May 15, 2014 at 3:13 PM
Definitely what made me pay attention to him. I only watched their scenes in the drama. The main couple bored me.
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5 kiwichan
May 15, 2014 at 9:12 AM
Oh Jung Se!!! really like his acting^^
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6 kopytko
May 15, 2014 at 9:39 AM
My mind is twisted by reading kdrama synopses. I immediately thought of the old gimmick "he's an adult with a mind of a 9 year-old-child" and thought of a bunch of immature jerks/idiots/losers etc. I'm glad I was wrong :)
Since the drama seems to focus on four people we might get what I like most - a character-driven series. Having seen about 150 dramas, not to mention productions from the USA and Europe (and some telenovelas as well), I can hardly be surprised with a new plot - everything has been done. But I am always open to a good character study and a showcase of actors' brilliant work.
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7 zakin89
May 15, 2014 at 9:51 AM
I don't really care for Kim Young Kwang but I'm all in if Oh Jung Se is! I love him =) And I want to see more of him! Give the man bigger roles!
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8 crazedlu
May 15, 2014 at 10:38 AM
I really like him!
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9 Nadia
May 15, 2014 at 10:53 AM
Will definitely watch him in this new drama. Loved his character in Can We Get Married. As far as the comments about what he said in a teen magazine, he should have probably phrased it differently, but at least he's honest about what he likes and does not like. I have a list of 25 or more characteristics I like in a man, so I can understand what's he's saying, men are more visual, therefore, the first thing they talk about is a woman's body.
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10 canxi
May 15, 2014 at 12:03 PM
I love Oh Jung Se :)))) His presence in any drama is always so comforting and I find him easy on the eyes, too so that helps.
Kim Young Kwang hasn't really shown all his stuff as an actor, yet. Maybe he'll be able to do so here.
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11 blairxkitkat
May 15, 2014 at 3:20 PM
This guy is a dick
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12 Ek Ladhki Thi is Kim Eun-sooks no 1 fan
May 15, 2014 at 3:25 PM
Can someone put Oh Jung-se and Lee Seung-gi in a drama and have them be brothers? I remember seeing him in Wild Romance and thinking 'Wow, the resemblance is uncanny.'
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13 sharkie
May 16, 2014 at 3:15 AM
I will watch anything with Oh Jung Se! Love him to bits!^_^
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14 michy
May 16, 2014 at 11:58 AM
I was excited about him until all the bad reviews on his perspective on fat girls. I am fat so yep, I am a bit offended, but if you take it in a positive light it means the fat girls like myself need to take better care of ourselves.
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15 Aly
May 16, 2014 at 3:11 PM
oh come on guys! give the guy a break. he made those comments quite a while back so lets move on. i'm sure he's grown since then. i'll be watching. i think he has a lot of potential as an actor
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